and the white knight is talking backwards and the red queen's off with her head

[undealt]

WHO || Gold, Amara, and OPEN
WHAT || Gold has arrived back from dealing with refuges in Bermuda. And now he's making frands. And surely everyone wants to know who dat lady is.
WHERE || The castle library
WHEN || some indeterminate time in June
HOW || actionspaaaam
OTHER || You can also pull Gold and Amara aside for one-on-one conversations if you'd like. Just specify.

If you go into the library today, you will find an unusual sight- for one thing, Gold's back, but he must have snuck in like a ninja because it's not like he made any great announcement of it. Just swanned in, checked on his crocodile, and immediately tracked down a certain blonde homo magi. Suspicious!

Said homo magi is currently in the library with him. In fact, they're in the section with all the magic books, chatting animatedly about... something or other. (A listen check of 18 will catch what they're saying).

Comments

[untethered]

[ WAIT WAT ] You mean to say that happened to ... to Sir Charming? [ o right she was also eavesdropping on you. just then. in case you missed that implication. ] She thinks she's in love with him?

[undealt]

With all her heart. To the point where it doesn't even occur to her that it's a curse. [Which you also... overheard, but he's being nice here.] As far as she knows, she's in love and that's all there is to it.

[TRAGIC... yet profitable.]

[untethered]

[ with abrupt indignation, almost sputtered suddenly: ] But it's not real love. [ she sounds s-so offended, especially when she adds: ] She doesn't have a choice.

[undealt]

But she believes it is. And hopefully, we can fix her condition one day. [He doesn't sound terribly optimistic about that, but by the time they do, they'll have a decent alliance with her people and he doesn't need Charming all up in dat vagina.] Until then, there's nothing we can do about it.

[untethered]

And is that what you were doing, talking to her about Sir David's past? "Nothing"? [ it's less of an angry accusation and more of a CALLING YOU OUT SIR DON'T FRONT I HEARD THAT LOVE MONOLOGUE ]

[undealt]

[CALMLY... EDGING AWAY FROM HER A BIT.]

She did ask. I thought perhaps knowing his complicated love life might dissuade her some. [(bluff... 14...?)]

[untethered]

[ well she seems to mostly buy that but-- ] Is that why you said what you did, then? About... love? You made it sound so... [ incredibad ]

[undealt]

Difficult? [He shakes his head.] Every so often, things slip through the cracks, Belle. Things I barely remember. Love... seems to be a subject I knew a great deal about- in all of its ups and downs. And I told her that so perhaps she'd understand what real love was like. It's hard to imagine experiencing a false love when you've never had anything real to compare it to.

[He ducks his head, almost embarrassed.] Though I suppose a man talking about real love when he doesn't remember experiencing it himself is a bit hypocritical.

[untethered]

I don't know that I'd say that. I just found it a bit... surprising. [ wait that might not have come out right. ] I wouldn't have guessed it was something so important to you. [ NOT MUCH BETTER, BELLE. ] But to be completely honest?

I know precisely how I feel about love, without remembering a single thing about being in it. So I understand what you mean, in some way.

[undealt]

I don't look the type. [IT'S OKAY, BELLE. SOMETIMES HE SCARES HIMSELF. With his... weird obsession with love. Moulin Rouge.gif.

But awww. Dorky smiles. They can be love nerds.]

Then perhaps there's hope for Lady Amara- that she might find something real. Something... true. It might actually break her curse and free her.

[MEANWHILE, CHARMING AND AMARA CONTINUE TO MAKE OUT.]

[untethered]

Do you think it could do that? That... true love could break a curse even such powerful spell casters have been unable to undo? [ she actually sounds pretty enamored by the thought. ]

[undealt]

I think it sounds as effective as anything else. [IDK. HE'S GOT THIS WEIRD FEELING... even if it sounds kind of Hallmarky.] And the homo magi have likely tried everything else.

[untethered]

I suppose it's unfortunate, then, that true love isn't something one can just go looking for.

[undealt]

Especially when it comes to their particular curse- any mortal they meet could become their next obsession. They aren't given the opportunity to come by love honestly.

[Look, he thinks the curse is bullshit, but not enough to... not use it for his own ends.]

[untethered]

... And because of this, they're practically prisoners. Just think, never even being able to leave the confines of their secret city, with all the world outside their reach...

Do we know how they even came by such a terrible curse? Who could be so heartless to condemn an entire people to such a fate?

[undealt]

[....]

I never thought to ask. [GREAT JOB, GOLD.] I assumed it was such a fundamental part of their society that perhaps they all just simply forgot. Though now that we have one of them here, she might be able to shed some light on it.

[untethered]

[ aw gold. she resists the urge to pat you on the head. ] Well, it stands to reason that our best chance for learning how to counter the spell is to understand what kind of magic was responsible for it in the first place. Don't you think?

[undealt]

Indeed. [He nods AND IS CLEARLY EMBARRASSED.] Assuming you can convince her that she wants the spell countered. She may put up a fight about that.

[untethered]

Someone has to know.

[undealt]

Hasmed might. I needed to speak with him about Amara, anyway. If all else fails, there might be something here.

[He gestures around the library.]

[untethered]

I'll look, since I've gotten to know the library well. We have to help her. Whether she realizes that's what we're doing or not.

[undealt]

Hopefully, Charming can keep her occupied within the bounds of decency. The last thing the castle needs is a sorceress on the rampage within the walls.

[untethered]

Has he been... speaking with her much?

[undealt]

According to her, he's been distant. Of course, he was back in Bermuda with us tending to the survivors we freed for awhile, but I imagine since getting back, he's been avoiding the situation- knowing him.

[Avoiding it... with his dick.]

[untethered]

Is that what she sounded so upset about?